The staff at Centre Culturel La Ronde are happy to be home.
“We’re still unpacking boxes,” said Lynne Guertin. “We went through a lot, with moving to two places.”
The new building on the corner of Algonquin and Mountjoy welcomed the la Ronde team on Monday, Nov. 27. Centre Culurel La Ronde has been housed in Timmins Square since August, and is now ready to provide francophone community members with a full slate of programs and services again.
While there is still some work to be done, unpacking and adding logos and signage, the space has hosted two bingo nights already.
”We were just about at full capacity on Monday,” said Guertin.
Bingos are held in a 250-person space that will host performances from francophone artists throughout the year. Those artists can also access a new greenroom right off the stage entrance.
There is also a new cafe space, L’Armise, which seats around 70 people and will be open to rent in the future.
Attached to that is the new commercial kitchen.
RELATED: Late September opening expected for new La Ronde building
“We could rent this for families,” said Guertin. “Eventually, what we want to do is a community breakfast, once a month, or depending on who wants to volunteer.”
There are plans to hold a grand opening event in the spring, which will also be part of the La Ronde 55th anniversary celebration.
“I got emotional when we celebrated our 55 years a week ago when I did my speech,” she said. “Finally, it’s here after eight years.”
“Once we have everything ready, then we’ll have the date,” said Guertin. “Then we’ll invite all the ministry, George Pirie, the mayor, and of course all our big donors. So hopefully in the spring for sure.”
Guertin said they are looking forward to hosting club nights for seniors, darts, and cards on Thursdays, starting next week, as well as new mothers' programs, child care, and other community events.
“We want to get the teenagers involved as well,” she said. “We will go and talk to them and have them have open house, maybe a hang-out space.”
They are still waiting for their liquor license to go through, and they’re expecting it by the end of January. Once that happens, they have concession and bar services in the main event space and L’Armise.
“If someone wants to volunteer for now, for the carnival, or we need to hire people,” said Guertin. “First thing is the janitor.”
There is also a large outdoor space for events during St. Jean Baptiste celebrations and Carnaval D’Hiver. It’s located where the parking lot of the old building was.
“We really wanted to have that space for the kids,” said Guertin.
